State College New Year's Eve Sunday Community Service 2007

The Sunday after Christmas is often a real downer for many congregations. Lots of people are out of town. This is especially true in a college town. Three years ago, we chose to turn a downer Sunday into a highlight Sunday as we joined with other congregations to have an inspirational challenge given to the "Church of the City" going into the New Year.

For over ten years, various evangelical congregations in State College have participated to a greater or lesser degree in joint Sunday morning worship services, as we wish to please the Lord, who so clearly shared His desire in John 17 (I can't figure out how you can call Jesus, "Lord," and blatantly ignore His deepest wishes for visible Christian unity). We've probably done at least 8 of these now at different times of the year, with participation from 5-15 congregations per service. This morning's service included 9 congregations (with several pastors of those on vacation).

This morning was, again, so very inspiring. With two packed services, Pastors Jurod, McKenzie and Nold challenged the folks to corporately pledge 1000 days of fasting and prayer in January 2008. The people responded, with every day in January being covered with dozens of folks committed that day to fasting and praying for revival.

If you are a pastor in another community and are interested in doing a joint Sunday morning service, please feel free to email me at pgrabill@aol.com or call me at 814-238-3800 with any questions you might have.

Penn-Del Stories of the Year

This may be difficult, but I'm going to attempt it nonetheless.

The question is: What are the top Penn-Del stories of the year?

Here's my nomination: Gerry Stoltzfoos appears nationally on the ABC News show, Nightline, to allow scientists to substantiate that speaking in tongues is more than gibberish--that something special in the frontal lobe is going on...

Any other nominations?

Pentecostalism and the Poor

If you haven't already been there and done that, you may want to visit the FutureAG blog and be part of the discussion surrounding Jeff Leake's post about my own blog post (it's like chasing a rabbit in cyberspace:)). It's a very important subject, I believe.

On the Lighter Side

Okay, I couldn't wait for April 1.

Here is a site that allows you to make your own church sign. You can then cut-and-paste it to send to anyone.

Enjoy! Be creative! Be nice!

Leadership Library

I recently read Andy Stanely's new book, Making Vision Stick. It will take you roughly 30 minutes to read but a lifetime to master.

The basic premise of the albeit brief book is that leadership is responsible to clearly communicate the vision of the organization with "stickiness." "Stickiness" is what I call the "Got It" factor. It's as if the proverbial light bulb goes off in their mind and they begin to understand what our church is all about.

Of course, there is a tendency over time to lose the adhesiveness of your vision. That is why we as leaders need to constantly be casting vision.

This is accomplished in 5 steps:

1) State the vision simply.

2) Cast the vision convincingly.

3) Repeat the vision regularly.

4) Celebrate the vision systematically.

5) Embrace the vision personally.

The vision of your church is sacred. It's what God has uniquely called and gifted you to accomplish in your part of the Kingdom. If you can't summarize your vision in one sentence perhaps you need to spend some time in prayer and ask God for clarity. Stanley says, "If your vision is unclear to you it will never be clear to the people in your organization."

I can't think of a better time of year to pray and seek God for His vision for your church. Then begin to plan out systematically through your all-church ministry calendar and preaching calendar different teaching points and ministry events that will make your vision stick.

Can God Speak Through ESPN?

Throughout the years I’ve been enamored by the similarities I’ve seen between coaching a football team and pastoring a church. I don’t know how many times, while watching an NFL Films documentary of some historic gridiron battle, that the coach’s passion, instruction or frustration matched perfectly with what I had at some time experienced in ministry.

Now I’m not a jock or a sport’s junkie or anything along those lines. In fact, the closest I’ve ever come to the chalk-marks was when my sons were younger and we became part of the fantasy football phenomena. I say “we,” but it soon became “I.” Like many of you, I don’t do anything in a small way, so I soon found myself studying the lineups, depth charts and injury reports so as to gain an advantage in the weekend match-ups. Through a brief vision the Lord revealed that this “little hobby” had innocently become a “little fox” that was stealing much from my spiritual life. (“Everything is permissible for me—but not everything is beneficial”). Before this correction, I seemed to be able to harness the conviction of the Spirit as I stood in worship on a Sunday evening; hands lifted and mouth moving, while at the same time wondering how many points my running-back and tight-end were racking up in the late starts that day. Since then, with fantasy football forsaken, it’s been all things in moderation.

This past Tuesday, however, I was once again challenged by a parallel between the coaching and pastoral worlds, and I believe God had something to say to me though ESPN. Perhaps you saw the news conference where Bobby Petrino, the head coach of the beleaguered Atlanta Falcons, resigned mid-season to accept a new position as coach at the University of Arkansas. Petrino, who was only in his first season in the pros, smiled gleefully at his press conference, noting that “it was a sad but glad day” as he severed himself from the Falcons to head back to the collegent world where he had experienced immense success the year before at lesser Louisville.

Petrino is now perceived to have “used” the Falcons as a stepping stone to a better position in the college ranks. Adding an NFL coaching job to his resume was in some critic’s minds a clever way to raise his stock as he waited for the right opening at a power-house football school. Arthur Blank, the Falcon’s owner, bemoaned the fact that “he felt betrayed” by Petrino’s resignation, seeing that the coach had apparently told him the day before that he would remain with the team.

The players were even more shocked and outspoken. Veteran tackle Grady Jackson, who was cut this season by Petrino, spurned, "It just shows his true color, like a coward with a yellow stripe down his back!" And again, "He probably didn't want the job anyway. He was probably waiting for a better job to come along, a college job. He wanted out of Louisville." Safety Lawyer Milloy added, "This league is for real men. I think he realized he didn't belong here. I feel like I've been sleeping with the enemy." When defensive-end Jamaal Anderson was asked about how Petrino would be remembered, he replied, “One word: Disloyal!”

But it was during cornerback Deangelo Hall’s phone interview with ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt that something stirred in my spirit. “…We were a little bit disappointed in the decision he made,” Hall said. “But when you see him out there celebrating and smiling and having fun, you tend to be a little angry. This was the guy who wanted us to buy into his system. I was one of the guys who was a little bit leery at first, and I guess I had right cause to be because he obviously had ulterior motives when he came. He came to the Atlanta Falcons as a stepping stool to get where he wanted to be, and that's, a better college job.”

As I listened to the comments of the “Falcon congregation” regarding the departure of their “lead pastor,” I realized that these are the same feelings and emotions that arise within the church when the shepherd “chooses” to move on to more pleasant pastures after having just convinced the congregation to “buy into their system.” I say “chooses” because, while I can’t discount the fact that God can and does move people in ministry, I am not convinced that every pastoral transition is in obedience to the Spirit’s voice. Sadly, Petrino is a parable of many of the leaders of our day. Hirelings and opportunists who move from church to church, bolstering their resume in pursuit of that illustrious ministry, yet willfully ignorant of the great hurt and disappointment they leave in their wake.

Petrino’s world was surely complicated by the negative press associated with the arrest, trial and conviction of quarterback Michael Vick, who was sentenced the day before the coach’s resignation to 23 months in prison on dog-fighting charges. But Petrino knew it was going to be a demanding position even before he inked-out his five-year, $24 million contract (OK – this is where the pastoral parallel breaks down). We must ask ourselves as spiritual leaders; “Are we going to quit simply because we are facing the challenges we were told to expect when we first answered the call to ministry?” Are we really to be surprised when the going gets tough or opposition rises against us? The Apostle Paul’s instruction to “beware of dogs” in Philippians 3:2 isn't a warning to mailmen (or quarterbacks). Instead it speaks of the spiritual dogfights which we can expect to encounter as the Kingdom of God advances against the darkness of this present age. This league really is for real men! Sadly, many leaders transition out mid-season in their ministry because results don’t come as quickly as expected. Like Petrino, who resigned after dropping his tenth game of the year, many pastors decide to “go back” to their comfort zone; back to the where all of the challenges are understood; back to the realm where they are guaranteed some measure of success.

At his responding press conference, owner Arthur Blank, looking like he’d been stabbed in the back, made reference to a sign on the wall posted by Petrino in the team meeting room soon after his hiring. The sign listed the traits the new coach demanded from his players. Blank made special reference to Petrino’s final characteristic - Finish! My friend, this word is not limited to the locker room but should be etched indelibly upon every leader’s heart. Speaking sarcastically, Blank added, "I don't think quitting after 13 games is equal to the word ‘Finish!”

Is it Monday yet? Da-Nuh-Nuh; Da-Nuh-Nuh!

Changing bulbs

Changing Bulbs

It seemed like a radical idea. Last week we decided to transition all of the incandescent light bulbs in our home to the new earth-friendly CFL bulbs. I am not under the delusion that this will somehow "save the planet", but they last ten years and use 1/4 the power. I can live with that!

I was able to get a great deal on a whole bunch of them on Ebay. We changed every bulb in the house for under $35. I should recover those costs in a little over a year. After that, it's all gravy! I am more than willing to have others consider me environmentally responsible, but I must confess that my real motivation was capitalistic!

The question my kids and wife had was "will they be as bright as the old bulbs?" As I installed the first few new bulbs, I got a little nervous. They were definitely not as bright as the old ones. In fact, they were downright dim! Instead of being praised for such a responsible carbon-neutral decision, I would now be mocked for my foolhardy scheme. Oh the shame.

But alas, I soon noticed that the bulbs were brightening. In fact, they were clearly brighter than the old incandescents, and my fear turned to brimming pride. My daughter came out of the bathroom and said, "I can see myself in the mirror better than before!" Case closed.

You see, the new bulbs start out slow, but after less than a minute they warm up and outperform the old bulbs easily. We are now bathing in cheaper, stronger light, and we won't have to change bulbs for another decade!

Now for the metaphor.

We are in the midst of a huge shift in our culture, and in how the church functions and fulfills its mission in the world, especially here in America. There are many of our colleagues who fail to see how to make the necessary changes to transition their flocks. They are used to the yellow incandescent glow, and cannot imagine trying something new.

I must admit that initially the results of the changes we are making (Penn Del C3, attractional to missional, corporate to apostolic) look a little dim. My belief is that we are in the warming period. The full glow will not be seen for some years, but I am certain it will come if we stay on course. We must continue to change to stay on course. It's fluid.

I sense God's hand in it, and His pleasure as I let go of my tried and true formulae and grab a hold of His mighty coattails for a free ride into the light. I sense it when I share what God is doing and saying with a group of pastors. They either lean forward and their eyes light up, or they look away, fearing what the changes might mean for them and their church.

We were promised boldness when the spirit came upon us. Lord, deliver us from fear, and propel us with missionary zeal to embrace your change. These are radical days and they call for radical measures. I don't care to bask in the afterglow of dying embers when the Lord is starting a new fire. (sorry, I guess I switched metaphors there :))

Two Disciplines Of Preaching

There are two things that I work very hard to get right as I prepare a message:

#1 -- Understand and interpret the Bible.

There is such power in God's Word. My style of preaching is not so much Expository (meaning...verse by verse through an entire book). My approach is what I would call Textual/Topical. I cluster several related passages together and make it a series.

But each message is an attempt to let the text speak. This past weekend, I tried to bring to life the meaning of Psalm 32 in our Unwrapped series.

#2 -- Understand and interpret people's lives.

Messages truly become transformational when the Word is directly applied into the context of a real life. So I think a lot about the audience I am speaking to that day. What are their needs? What natural objections will they have to this passage? How is this difficult to apply? What are the felt needs that people have come to church carrying?

The messages that I manage to do a good job of both seem to make an impact. When I miss on one or the other, the talk will feel a bit flat. The first of these disciplines is obvious and essential. No speaker can afford to mis-understand or misinterpret Scripture.

But the second is no less important to genuine ministry. Application in the context of life is critical to maximum ministry impact.

What about you? How do you make these two discplines work in your ministry?

Dr. Wood in State College

He doesn't sing like Take 6 (to my knowledge), but Dr. George Wood will be our special guest the weekend of January 13 at State College Assembly of God.

Saturday evening, January 12, State College Assembly will be hosting a free dinner for any A/G credential holders who would wish to attend. The time is 6-8 pm. After dinner, there will be an opportunity for Q&A with our new General Superintendent. If you were able and wished to stay over for Sunday morning, of course you would be most welcome.

If you are able to attend, please RSVP (this is essential) no later than Friday, December 28 by emailing scassembly@aol.com.

We'll even give a free ticket to #26.:)